The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended Max Air from carrying out local flights for three month over frequent incidents in the aviation sector.
This followed the recent bad tyre incident involving Max Air’s aircraft at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
No fewer than 53 passengers and crew members escaped death after on Tuesday after a Max Air Boeing 737-400 aircraft with registration no. 5N-MBD, had a tire burst while landing at the airport at 10:57 p.m.
The incident was the third involving the airline in just three months.
The incident led to the closure of the airport’s runway by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The NCAA in a statement issued by its Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, said while the suspension lasts, it would collaborate with the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB)’s investigation and carry out its own assessment of Max Air’s operations.
The statement read: “It must be stated that the specific cause(s) of this incident can only be established after the NSIB has conducted its investigation.
“However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for three months, effective from midnight on 31 January 2025, to allow for an internal review of its operations.
“The safety audit will involve a re-inspection of Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft, as specified by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. The economic audit will evaluate the airline’s financial stability to guarantee its ability to maintain safe flight operations.
“The resumption of Max Air’s domestic flights will depend on the satisfactory completion of this audit.”
